flies

what a new study has discovered studying flies

by

The brain is an extremely energy-demanding organ, as it needs a large amount of glucose to function correctly. But sometimes not everything focuses on functioning to live, but also to accumulate new memories or knowledge, something that students who put themselves in front of books need above all. And now we know that sugar can be your best ally. A new paradigm. A priori, we may think that what we eat is like a large amount of gasoline that we pour into the tank we have inside us. However, a recent study published in Nature describes an unprecedented biological mechanism, pointing out that it is not sugar that magically improves memory, but rather it is consuming it after learning something new, such as a study session, that can consolidate it. All this along with a good rest too. What has been seen? Here the researchers subjected a group of flies to aversive learning that began to be spaced out over time, in this way a neutral stimulus was associated with an experience that was detected as unpleasant so that they learned to reject it. Under this pretext, the researchers observed that subjecting the flies to this learning system causes the “hijacking” of the fructose-detecting neurons, which is a type of carbohydrate, in the brain of the flies. There is more. The fascinating thing about all this is that it happens even when the flies are completely full, so the learning generates a kind of temporary “non-homeostatic hunger.” In this way, after the cognitive effort, if the fly ingests sugar, these neurons, which had been disinhibited by learning, become massively activated. And it is something fundamental because activation triggers the release of a hormone called thyrostimulinwhich acts as the definitive signal to consolidate long-term memory. It’s not just about the taste. This article does not come out of nowhere, but already in 2017 a research group showed that the brain is too smart to be fooled by the sweeteners that give us the sweet taste. Here the concept “caloric frustration memory” was introduced, which pointed out that the brain perfectly distinguishes between sweet taste and real energy value. That is why for certain memories to be optimally consolidated, the nutritional value matters as much or more than the simple taste reward. Furthermore, this same French team demonstrated in 2024 that diverting the flow of glucose to neurons plays a vital role in memory memory. fruit fly, and that the metabolic activation of certain areas of the brain is an essential trigger for long-term memory. In humans. Although this is something that has been seen in flies right now, it offers us an incredible window into evolutionary neurobiology. This is something that gives us hope that, at a fundamental level, brains have evolved to link energy availability with metabolic expenditure in order to create new memories. If we look at the literature, there are studies that have analyzed this same effect in our own brains. Specifically, it has been seen that administering glucose can temporarily improve certain cognitive aspects. This is especially noticeable in verbal memory, episodic memory, and in hippocampal-dependent tasks such as object-location binding. Although in no case should you gorge yourself on sugar to be able to learn much faster. Images | Marcos Paulo Prado Daniel Kraus In Xataka | The memory of young people is deteriorating at a record pace. Science thinks it knows why

That the US Air Force flies its three B-52 bombers is normal. That he does it against Venezuela not so much

by

At the beginning of September the southern Caribbean became in a hybrid war board where anti-drug operations, financial sanctions and military deployments mixed together. Then we learned that the United States had decided to open a base that had been closed for 20 years and had not been open since. F-35 have stopped arriving. Three have been added to the fighter jets monsters looking at Venezuela. The roar. In recent days, the Caribbean has once again been the scene of a military deployment reminiscent of the most tense years of the Cold War. Up to three strategic bombers American B-52 were spotted orbiting for hours off the coasts of Venezuelaescorted by F-35 fighters and supported by tankers and reconnaissance drones. The maneuver, carried out in international airspace, was all less discreet: a deliberate display of force a few kilometers from Caracas, in a context in which Washington intensifies the pressure against the regime of Nicolás Maduro and in which rumors about a possible direct action They begin to sound with increasing verisimilitude. Echo of the giants. The B-52s, based in Louisiana, sailed the Caribbean sky with the unequivocal purpose to be seen. His mere presence has a strategic meaning: each of these colossi can carry dozens of long range cruise missilescapable of hitting land or sea targets without having to fly over enemy territory. The United States assures that the patrols They are part of anti-drug operations, but the simultaneity with Trump’s threats and the recent attacks to vessels suspected of drug trafficking point to a clearer political message: warn Maduro that Washington’s reach extends from the air to the waters of the Caribbean and, if it deems necessary, beyond. The fence In just two months, the Pentagon has deployed in the region a naval and air device that includes three destroyers, a missile cruiser, a nuclear submarine and an amphibious group with more than 2,000 marines. TO they add up Reaper drones, C-17 transport planes and the feared AC-130J Ghostrider, specialized in interdiction operations and surgical strikes. The structure is more reminiscent of a preparation force for a limited campaign than a mere anti-drug operation. Washington has also confirmed the creation of a new force regional task force under the command of the II Marine Expeditionary Force, while reports of lethal attacks on suspicious boats in international waters accumulate: at least five in recent weeks, with 27 dead. Open threat. The turning point has arrived when Trump himself openly declared who studies “striking on Venezuelan land” after having “controlled the sea almost completely.” He said it with the naturalness of someone describing a logical extension of an operation in progress. He also acknowledged having authorized to the CIA to develop covert operations in Venezuelan territory, in a decision that marks a qualitative leap with respect to traditional diplomatic pressure. Although he avoided confirming whether this authorization includes the figure of Maduro, the hint was enough for him toturn on all alarms in the region. In Washington, sources from the Department of Defense maintain that these would be actions aimed at “disrupting drug trafficking networks,” but Trump himself has described the Venezuelan president as “head of a cartel,” blurring the line between anti-drug war and regime change operation. Venezuela on alert. From Caracas, the response It was immediate. Maduro accused the United States of preparing an invasion and denounced to the United Nations what qualified as “a very serious violation of international law.” His government maintains that the military movements seek to “legitimize a regime change operation to seize Venezuelan oil reserves.” In a televised speech, supported by his military leadership, evoked the blows sponsored by the CIA during the Cold War in Latin America and cried: “Down with coups d’état! Latin America neither wants nor needs them.” At the same time, he announced that 4.5 million civilian militiamen would be ready to defend the country, although the actual enlistment figures were far from his rhetoric. Meanwhile, the opposition, led by María Corina Machado (recently awarded with the Nobel Peace Prize), celebrated American support and dedicated his award “to Trump, for his decisive support of our cause.” Fuzzy red line. The situation has become a dangerous choreography of power. On the one hand, Washington insists that its mission is stop drug trafficking and irregular migration, on the other, their actions increasingly resemble the preparatory phase of a military operation. Trump’s rhetoric, direct and unfiltered, evokes the old ghosts of North American interventions in Latin America, while his deployment in the Caribbean resembles a modern reissue of the big stick politics. Venezuela, with a weakened armysuffocating sanctions and a perpetual internal crisis, thus becomes a board and excuse: the place where the United States’ ambition for regional control and the need for an external enemy to maintain the cohesion of Chavismo intersect. A prelude? He flight of the B-52 off the Venezuelan coast it was not a routine maneuver. It was a sign. A demonstration that pressure is no longer measured in sanctions or communications, but in long-range missions, combat escorts and submarines that silently patrol a few kilometers from the continental shelf of a sovereign State. Trump has found in Maduro the perfect antagonist: an isolated dictator, converted into a symbol of Latin American collapse and a justification of his new hemispheric doctrine. If you will, also a warning to sailors: it could become the first salvo of a selective intervention. Image | USAF In Xataka | The US can spend months attacking boats in the Caribbean. A base closed for 20 years has just opened and F-35s keep arriving In Xataka | Venezuela has found proof that the video of the US missile pulverizing a boat was made with AI: Google AI

a plague of flies that no one can stop

by

Not the Gaza massacre, not the increase in salaries, not the improvement of public health or the fight against corruption. A few days ago the residents of Tomiño, a town in the south of Galicia, took to the streets to protest something very different and that is not common to find in 21st century Spain: the fly pests. Tired of encountering annoying insects even in the soup (and no, it is not a figure of speech) some 300 people They gathered in the town to demand that the institutions solve a problem that they have been for years dragging “It’s horrible, really terrible,” they cry out. What has happened? That Galicia has just experienced what may have been the most peculiar manifestation so far this year. Not so much for the form as for the substance. What has brought people to the streets in Tomiño, a town in the south of the province of Pontevedra, is a plague of flies. Thousands and thousands of dipterans that sneak into businesses and homes, complicating the lives of part of the town. The rally was organized last Sunday in the center of Carregal, the most affected parish of Tomiño, and brought together around 300 residents, according to Tele Mariñas specifies. The mobilization not only served to demand solutions from the administrations. It has also helped to better understand how the plague affects the inhabitants of the area, who claim to be living a true hell. “This plague doesn’t let me eat, sleep, or anything,” he lamented a 77-year-old neighbor who has lived in the neighborhood for more than a decade. “It’s horrible, terrible.” Is it that serious? The testimonies of the inhabitants of one of the most affected areas, Amorín, in Carregal, show that the invasion of flies is much more than a simple nuisance. “It’s terrible. You kill one and three come to the funeral,” counted a few days ago The Voice of Galicia Avelina, a neighbor. People talk about flytraps that fill up shortly after hanging them, businesses “desperate” and even people who are considering throwing in the towel and selling their homes if the problem is not solved. A few months ago in Forcadela, another parish in Tomiño, the owner of a bar confessed that the plague forced her to work reduced hours and do without the terrace so as not to lose customers. “When you moved there were so many that you could grab them with your hand, you even stepped on them,” recounted the hotelier, Ana Belén, The Voice of Galicia. “The ceiling of my establishment is white and it was black.” At Sunday’s rally, the residents of Carregal took to the streets a poster which, pulling back, emphasized the same complaint: “Menu of the day: 1st, broth with flies; 2nd, chickpeas with flies, coffee with flies. Enough already.” Their discomfort is not only due to the dipteran invasion itself. It also bothers them that the problem is repeated year after year without the administrations finding a solution. “We want solutions now.” What areas does it affect? The weekend protest was organized in Carregal, Tomiño, but a few months ago They complained about the same problem in Forcadela, another neighborhood in the town. In reality, it will have caught few by surprise. In 2024 in the village they were already complaining of the same problem and there are neighbors who report that flies have been a challenge for about five years. In reality, Tomiño is not the only Galician town that has had to do with the invasion of dipterans. Almost 175 kilometers from there, in Narón (province of A Coruña) there is another parish, O Val, which has been with a challenge to simulate. “It makes you desperate,” confessed In June one of his neighbors The Confidential. In his case he has even tried to combat flies with bleach. Without much success. What is the reason? In Tomiño the problem is serious enough that some time ago the City Council commissioned a study to clarify its causes, a task that fell to a group specialized in environmental biology from the University of Vigo. Salustiano Mato, professor of Zoology, he resisted last year to talk about a “plague” of flies as such, but admits that there are “disproportionate population booms” of insects in some parts of the municipality. Its protagonist is the common fly, an insect with a fleeting life cycle, between seven and 30 daysbut which is capable of depositing about a thousand eggs during that brief period. The affected neighbors they explain that “strong pests” are suffered between spring and well into autumn, although the problem is not completely solved during the cold months. “We continue with flies because there is no more frost.” Regarding the possible causes of its uncontrolled presence in Tomiño, Mato explains that “a perfect storm” seems to have occurred, an opinion shared by Galicia Ambiental. “The combination of climatic factors, temperature and humidity could be behind everything. There is a set of environmental circumstances that favor hatching, irruption or mass reproduction,” they sentence. And how to solve it? The problem is more complex than it seems. When it comes to pointing out the causes, more factors have been pointed out, such as the use of fertilizer in crop fields, humidity (the area is near the Miño), the destruction of native forest, with the consequent loss of trees and birds that feed on insects, or the expansion of crops. A few months ago, in fact, the Tomiño City Council related the Forcadela plague with a poorly fertilized farm, in which manure supposedly accumulated on unplowed land. Things don’t seem to be clear in the offices either. Last year the local government I remembered that there is a royal decree of 2022 that establishes that the powers over the inspection and control in the care of farmland falls on the Xunta, but the municipal opposition insist in which the law obliges the City Council to “act” and remembers that it is the … Read more

Russia wants to know how trips will affect us to Mars, so you will throw a thousand flies and 75 mice in a rocket

by

He Baikonur Cosmodrome, in Kazakhstanhe has witnessed the launch of the Soyuz-2.1b rocket that has put the mission into orbit Bion-M No. 2. This Russian space agency project, Roscosmos, is a crucial step in the investigation of the effects of the microgravityand above all, the Cosmic radiationabout living organisms. But on board they are not human, but travel flies or mice, among other organisms. A varied crew on the ship. As if it were Noah’s ark, 75 mice are found in this ship, more than 1,000 fruit fliescellular crops, microorganisms and plant seeds. For a month, these ‘bionautas’ will orbit the earth in a polo pole trajectory, at an altitude that will expose them to the levels of cosmic radiation significantly higher than those experienced in the International Space Station. A “high -tech mice hotel”. The true protagonists of this mission are the 75 mice, who will travel in a specially designed passenger cabin: a “mini hotel”. Each unit is equipped with food, lighting, ventilation and waste systems to guarantee their well -being during the trip. In addition, chips have been implemented in some of the rodents to be able to monitor the constants in real time. Scientists have divided mice into three groups to compare the results. The first will remain on earth in normal conditions, which is what we call in science ‘control group’. The second will live in a land laboratory in flight equipment identical to those of the satellite. The third group, of course, will be the one who travels to space. In this way, the effects of the space flight of other variables can be isolated. Why are they chosen to mice. It has already become an iconic image to see how in biomedical research Mouse is used as the ideal test ‘subject’. And it is not a coincidence. The mouse has a genetic very similar to human, they have a short life cycle to see changes throughout several generations and are very economical to maintain and feed. On the other hand, for this specific investigation the mice They are very radiation sensitiveso they make it the ideal subjects to give us more information on the effect of this physical phenomenon. It has important implications for our health. The objective of this mission is clear: knowing how this radiation will affect astronauts traveling to the moon or Mars. Cosmic radiation In the long term you can damage cell DNAdrastically increasing the risks of long -term cancer, and what you want is to quantify the real damage and prove countermedons as armor for ships and drugs that avoid these undesirable effects. But it also has medical applications here on Earth. Its results can give us more weapons to fight aging, since the rapid loss of bone and muscle mass suffered by astronauts is a perfect model to study osteoporosis and sarcopenia to find new treatments. There are more research apart from mice. In collaboration with the Vernadsky Institute of Geochemistry and Analytical Chemistry, the mission transports 16 test tubes with dust simulations and lunar rocks. The objective is to study how radiation and space emptiness affect these materials, information of great value for the future development of lunar bases. Other experiments on board will investigate the susceptibility of organisms to radiation, the development of new life support systems and possible medical benefits in the earth derived from spatial biological research. Continuing the legacy of the bion-m No. 1. This mission It was launched in 2013 And he also spent 30 days in the orbit. However, the new mission will orbitate a 97 degree inclination, which will increase exposure to cosmic radiation compared to its predecessor. It is not the first time that it is investigated in space. There are many precedents that exist of space missions that have aimed at investigation. For example, I know analyzed the potential risks of fertility in space in mice or even the Japanese wanted to see If you can procreate in space through mouse embryos. Images | Spacex Joshua J. Cotten In Xataka | Spacex is on its way to having more money than NASA. He has succeeded, in part, because he does not pay taxes

The mythical An-124 had been trapped for years and now it flies again

by

Inheritance of the Soviet UnionUkraine has both larger aircraft in the world (If we don’t count the monstrous Stratolaunchclear). Or had. On the one hand, a beast with wings called Antonov AN-225a unique model in the world that had a large load capacity and that could carry spacecraft on its back. On the other hand, the Antonov An-124, another somewhat smaller load model. With the Start of the Ukraine Warboth were trapped. Now the AN-124 sets the skies again, and it is much more than to see this giant fly again. Soviet monsters. In the context of the Cold warone of the battles was that of “I”. The United States flew for the first time in 1968 the imposing Lockheed C-5 Galaxy For transport of troops, becoming the new largest plane in the world. The Soviet Union was not going to stay with a crossed arms and began working in its replica. Thus, two companies (Aviastar-SP at Uliánovsk, Russia, and Aviant in Kyiv, Ukraine) undertook design and RPUEBAS work in parallel. The result was the AN-124, a huge cargo plane with an imposing front that is physically similar to Lockheed C-5 Galaxy, but something bigger. It was introduced in 1986 and, just two years later, the AN-225 Mriya appeared. Aviant Fruit (current Antonov) a larger version, with six engines and with a wingspan that prevented him from landing in 65% of airports around the world. After all, although it was a cargo plane, it was focused on transporting the Soviet transforder Burán and any other element of the Soviet space program. See this live must have been impressive Antonov Airport Battle. And if I speak of Antonov AN-225 in the past it is because, with the beginning of the Ukraine War, both the AN-225 and the AN-124 with registration U-82073 were catching you in one of the Ukraine airports. Since it is logical, for security reasons, the flights were suspended and the ships were abandoned to their fate in the Hostomel airport. The AN-225 that once surprised the world, was completely shattered. At first, the plane pilot said that the ship was intact, but shortly after confirmed the destruction of it. This meant more than the destruction of an airplane because yes, the AN-225 made few missions a year (putting it in the air costs a million dollars), but it was a symbol of Ukraine. The AN-225 UR-82073. The AN-124 is not so unique because Russia has a couple of dozens, another seven and there are units owned by other countries, but the UR-82073 has become another symbol of Ukrainian resistance. In addition, it is a model Very important for the transport of goods in Europe. Also abandoned, he got what his older brother does not: survive bombings. Removing Russian ballast. The last three years, the ship was stopped and partially disassembled, but from Antonov they have been working secretly with a goal: to modernize it. These tasks began before the war with the aim of replacing the Russian key components with parts made in Ukraine and in the West. The Russian invasion He modified the plans and caught the operators with half-work, but they continued working and, just a few days ago, the AN-124-100 Ruslan, now renamed IRPIN, has re-crossed the skies. Furtive flight. Symbolic flight. With a nose that proudly shows a “Be Brave Like Irpin” -“is brave as Irpin” -,, now It has new airplane and navigation systems that meet the current standards. IRPIN is a Ukrainian city located west of Kyiv that played a relevant role At the beginning of the war and on July 11, the plane furrowed the Ukrainian sky with the transponder off until crossing Poland. He Transpose It is a piece that gives real-time information about the ship as its location and altitude, and everything indicates that Ukraine did not want Russia to know that the UR-82073 was again in the air. Your destiny? Leipzig, in Germany, where Antonov has its new operations base. Antonov itself shared the video of the feat a few days ago and it is they who They affirm that “the relocation of” Ruslan “was not only a technical decision, but a symbol of resilience, professionalism and unity of Ukrainian aeronautical builders. The modernized” Ruslan “will continue to fly and serve Ukraine in the international arena.” And the AN-225? Happy end to the AN-124, but … will Ukraine leave as if nothing the destruction of the AN-225? When I said there was only one AN-225, it was half truth. There was really a complete and operational, but they had one “in half” stored. As it is a practical plane, it was not considered necessary never It was completed. In July 2024, however, the situation turned a turn. David Lomdzharia, president of the state conglomerate of Defense of Ukraine, affirmed who want to rebuild the AN-225 Mriya from that second incomplete fuselage. It has been saved since the Soviet era, so the State is not known, but Antonov has saying They have already started work and cost about 500 million euros. In the end, if Ukraine reconstructs the AN-225, he would do it for more symbolic than practical reasons, but we must wait to see why there are no dates or anything on the table. At least, publicly. Images | Tapia379, Oleksandr Ratushniak, Dmitry A. MottlAntonov In Xataka | Something extraordinary has happened in Ukraine: for the first time an unmanned boat has knocked down Russian combat planes

The US prepares to bomb the border of Mexico with sterile flies. It will not use genetic engineering, but 1950 technology

by

The United States wants to stop the Cochliomyia hominivorax, A fly that when it is in the larval phase causes a parasitic disease that mainly affects cattle (although it can also affect humans). A few days ago we talked about the plan to end her: launch millions of sterile flies to stop their expansion. The funny thing is that they are not going to do it using Genomic editionbut for this they will use a technology ago. X -rays and planes. The objective of this initiative is to stop the expansion of this plague and for this what they are going to do is sterilize millions of flies. As? With A technology that has been using since the 70s To combat this plague: X -rays. After raising the larvae and that they transform into pupae, they are placed inside a metal cylinder that is introduced into a gamma irradiation chamber with a dose of between 40 and 65 gray, enough to reach 95% sterility without compromising their survival. The container (left) that is introduced into the irradiation chamber (right). Fountain Once sterilized, you have to reach the affected areas, in this case the southern Texas and Mexico. To ensure that they arrive in the appropriate phase, the pupae remain at 10 degrees so that their metamorphosis to adults slows down. They are released from airplanes and, when the temperature rises, sterile males emerge. Why not transgenic flies? Sterilization of insects by radiation has decades of proven efficacy. Genetic modification is potentially cheaper and efficientbut it is still in an experimental phase and is not ready for mass production. There is also the issue of regulation, more complicated in this case because it requires approvals from two countries: the United States and Mexico. The current legal framework under which sterile insects are released does not contemplate genetic modification and achieve approval I could take years and cost millions of dollars. The threat. The one known as “Cattle Barrenter” is a devastating species, especially for cattle. The females deposit their eggs in wounds and mucous animals and, when hatching, the larvae begin to feed on the meat, causing injuries that become mortal. According to the head of the American Association of Veterinary Medicine, They can kill a 450 kilos cow in two weeks. This pest affects mainly to countries in South America, but It is not the first time that the United States has to deal with it; In 1966 they already eradicated it and in 2017 there was a small outbreak in the Florida Keys. There is a hurry. Although the reduction of transgenic technique costs sounds attractive, the reality is that there is no time to lose. The boreride worm has reappeared in southern Mexico and, although it has not been detected near the border, from the United States They don’t want to take risks. In addition to the release of sterile flies, other measures will also take controls in the transfer of animals, collaborate with Mexico to improve surveillance and provide traps to catch larvae. Image | PSUBRATY in Pixabay In Xataka | Every week, millions of flies are released on the Valencia Community and, although it does not seem like it, it is a sensational idea

The United Kingdom was waiting for an invincible hunt. Today, the F-35 flies little and cannot shoot its own weapons

by

He F-35b Lightning It is one of the most advanced fighters in the world. It has low observability when radar can take off in short distances and land vertically, and is designed to operate from Terrestrial Bases and Bases. You can execute Aire-Aire, air-surface, electronic warfare and intelligence in parallel missions. On paper, the United Kingdom was going to turn it into the cornerstone of its aerial power, With 138 planned units and a service horizon until 2069. But reality goes behind that ambition. A new report by the National Audit Office (NAO) He has just documented in detail a series of problems that drag the program: from sustained delays to capabilities yet to be integrated. The result is a much less solid photograph than expected a decade ago. And that opens uncomfortable questions about costs, efficacy and planning. F-35b, promises and delays As we said, the F-35B Lightning is the short take-off version and vertical landing of hunting by the United States The Joint Strike Fighter program. United Kingdom chose this variant To replace your Harrier and operate from the Queen Elizabeth class aircraft carriers. You can fly to more than Mach 1.6, reach 50,000 feet of altitude and execute multiple types of mission. A Harrier plane landing Its strong point is in the fusion of sensors and in the ability to share data in real time with other platforms. Unlike previous generations, the F-35B not only acts as an attack vector, but as a network intelligence node. In 2012 the first units arrived in the country, with Raf Marham as the main base. United Kingdom has invested at least 11,000 million pounds (about 12.6 billion euros) until March 2025, According to the National Audit Office. And yet, the level of operational capacity reached is lower than the ministry expected in 2013. The postponement of the total operational capacity (FOC) of 2023 at the end of 2025 implies that the F -35b have not yet reached the degree of maturity necessary to operate with full capacity. According to the NAO, the flight hours accumulated in 2024 were lower than those required, which limits the preparation of crews and the real availability of the fleet for intensive missions. In addition, the plane is currently limited in armament. Today only the guided pump Paveway IV and the Air-Aire Amraam AIM-13D, According to the RAF technical file. NAO confirms that the integration of British Meteor and Spear 3 missiles It has been postponed until the early 2030. In practice, this means that the F -35B cannot yet execute attacks from long distance with state -of -the -art weapons, such as its original strategic purpose. An F-35 landing There are also structural limitations. As The Register has pointed outthe short take -off design and vertical landing (Stovl) imposes significant restrictions on the payload and at the operational reach of the plane, something that conditions its effectiveness in demanding combat scenarios. This assessment is not part of the official NAO report, but it does reflect a usual concern among several specialists. To all this, the cost of full life cycle could reach 71,000 million pounds (about 81.9 billion euros). The problems are not alone Although the F-35B is already in operational use, the figures reveal a compromised capacity. In 2024, only around one third of the fleet was available to execute all the expected missions. Part of the problem is structural: the United Kingdom has failed to cover all the necessary positions to operate and maintain the system. Engineers are scarceand prolonged displays in aircraft carrier make many fate F-35 as unattractive. A F-35B of the United Kingdom The supply of pieces is not guaranteed either. The global logistics system, managed from the United States, has not grown at the same pace as the international fleet. That has generated bottlenecks, delays in deliveries and an excessive dependence on temporary solutions. Although during the deployment of Carrier Strike Group of 2025 the availability rates were improved, everything indicates that these levels may not be maintained once the operation is finished. Despite delays, costs and availability problems, the United Kingdom retains an outstanding role within the International F-35 program. He was the only level 1 partner to join the United States -led program and maintains 38 members of the Ministry of Defense Integrated in the central team of the project in Washington, more than any other country. This implication has given tangible results: British companies manufacture at least 15 % of the value of each unit produced. An eye on the future While the F-35 still faces limitations, the United Kingdom already promotes its own next generation project: The Tempest huntintegrated since December 2022 in the multinational program Global Combat Air Program (GCAP)together with Italy and Japan. Conceptual image of the future hunting of the Tempest program This effort, led by BAE Systems (United Kingdom), Leonardo (Italy) and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (Japan), aims to develop a Sixth generation furtive plane for 2035with prototypes flying before 2028. The headquarters of the program is based in the United Kingdom. Since its origin, it has been raised as an open architecture platform, with engines, plane, sensors and weapons developed under national control, seeking greater technological autonomy with respect to the US. Despite optimism, there are still tensions. Italy has expressed concern about the lack of transparency in the technological transfer from the United Kingdom. Images | Raf (1, 2), | Adrian Pingstone | BAE Systems In Xataka | There are those who ask why airplanes have no parachute. This manufacturer decided to stop asking him and putting one

Already flies with badges of an operating unit

by

It is not the first time that we see a J -20s flybut this time there is a key difference. According to Newsweek and The War Zoneseveral recent images Posted on Chinese platforms They show the biplaza model with five -digit license plates and the National Badge in Fuselage. And everything indicates that this unit has been assigned to the 172 .. Air Brigade. For China, what He has been preparing his technological leap in defense for decadesthis could be a very important step. Badges, dark paint and improved sensors appear The images not only show the J -20s with a darker body, close to black, but also reveal structural changes. Under the nose, a redesigned version of the monitoring electrooptic system is appreciated, with a more compact dome and 360 degree coverage, Similar to Eots of the F – 35. The new paint scheme keeps without covering edges of mobile surfaces, air intakes and tip of the radome. Although Beijing has not offered details, everything points to a Improvement in the furtive properties of the planeperhaps with new radar absorbent coatings. The existence of J -20 Biplaza was confirmed in 2021, When a prototype was caught performing high -speed shooting tests. From the first moment has been compared to F -22 Raptordue to its poaching and Air-Aire combat orientation. But the appearance of a two -seater version, such as the one that the images show now, introduces an element that no western fifth generation hunting today has in service. Nor the F -22nor the F – 35nor the Its -57 Russian have a variant of two seats in their operational fleets. This opens a remarkable difference. While the United States and its allies have opted for caps with network interoperability, China apparently wants to expand the skills combat with this model with a second operator, Coordinate drone swarms or assume advanced tactical tasks from the plane itself. It is a different approach, which still has no direct response in the West. From the first flight of the J -20s prototype, at least five more units have been documented, the last one in March of this year, says War Zone. Everything indicates that China has been refining the design Before climbing your production. The big question is now what proportion this biplaza version will occupy within the total fleet of J -20 – and what will be its exact role within the real operations. At the moment, we know of its existence. In Xataka | The US will finally continue selling engines for C919. He has also given China a reason not to need them again

The United States has decided to launch millions of flies with airplanes on its own territory. It has good reasons

by

As killing flies to guns, in the United States they have decided to do it using more flies. Literally. For months the country faces the ghost of the Cochliomyia hominivoraxa fly that in its larval state is a serious threat to cattle, wildlife, pets and even Humans. Hence the country has devised a peculiar strategy to fight it: raise thousands of millions of flies and then release them from airplanes. It sounds crazy, but it makes all the meaning. There is no small enemy. At first glance the Cochliomyia hominivoraxalso known as the New World Barrenning Worm (or NWS) does not seem much. But that is with the naked eye, of course. Although they are not much greater than common flies, in their Larval state they represent a considerable threat, especially for cattle, pets and wildlife. NWS females deposit the eggs in wounds or mucous membranes and, once they hatch, the larvae break through the meat, feeding thanks to their sharp oral hooks. Hence “BARRENOR WORD”. Dead cattle in weeks. The species is so voracious that the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) warns of its effects, the risk of cattle and what the nation is played by keeping it at bay. “It is crucial to protect our livestock industry, our economy and our food supply chain,” emphasize. In An interview With the AP Agency, Michael Bailey, director of the American Association of Veterinary Medicine, is even more explicit: the larvae can end a 450 kilos bovine in a matter of two weeks. And why is it news? The boreride worm is An old acquaintance of the American authorities. Although the species is endemic to Cuba, Haiti, Dominican Republic and countries in South America, the US has been looking for a way to prevent the species from expanding north with the help of Panama. Moreover, in his day he already deployed a strategy that allowed him A small outbreak Registered in the Florida Keys in 2017. The problem is that now the larva is calling again at the gates of the southern US, which has put the USDA on guard. “Although the NWS has been eradicated from the country for decades, recent detections in Mexico, at points as north as Oaxaca and Veracruz, about 1,125 kilometers from the border, have led to the immediate suspension of the imports of living cattle, horses and bison in the US entry ports on the southern border on May 11,” I recognized The government recently. Cattle lock and something else. Import blocking is only a small part of the Usda activated plan to curb the expansion of carnivorous parasite. The US authorities also want to have a vast network of facilities that allow him to raise hundreds of millions of NWS flies every week. And are willing to invest millions of dollars to achieve it. The Agriculture Department has already announced the investment of 8.5 million in a southern Texas and other installation 21 million To re -adapt a metapa plant, in Mexico, which was dedicated to the breeding of fruit flies. The idea is that it now focuses on the NWS. Both facilities will also be added to another base of Panama that is already able to raise about 177 million flies every week, a figure that the USDA considers insufficient. Its goal is to get to 400 million. But … raise flies for what? To have fewer flies. I know, it sounds inconsistent, but it makes all the meaning of the world. The flies that leave those hatcheries are not ‘normal’, but special specimens, males sterilized with radiation that can mate, but not (and this is the key) reproduce. The idea is actually very simple: scientists raise millions of flies, billions, and then release them in the fields so that females mate with those altered males. The result are eggs unable to hatch, which translates into less larvae and, over time, in diminishing populations. A solera technique. The technique is interesting for several reasons. For a start, Remember APit is more effective and ecological than resorting to pesticides. In addition, Washington has already proven that the system works relatively well. USDA remember which used the same “biological control technique” to end NWS populations in the 60s and the 2017 Florida outbreak. The same strategy has also been deployed in other places to combat different pests. Los Angeles used it to stop the proliferation of the Fruit fly And Singapore did something similar with the mosquitoes They transmit dengue. ‘Bombing’ of flies. Raising sterile male flies is just the first part of the plan. To work and stop the carnivorous worm, something else must be done: release those diptera strategically. And the US already knows how to do it. The Associated Press agency It has relieved that the government proposes to throw the altered specimens on southern Texas and Mexico. In fact he hopes to have In late of this same year a special installation to disperse insects in the Moore Air Baselocated almost at the border with Mexico. The new farm of southern Mexico would take something more to be ready. It would not be activated until July 2026. Images | USDA (Flickr), APHIS-USA and Wikipedia In Xataka | These worms live in the most radioactive area of ​​Chernobil. To everyone’s surprise, they seem immune to radioactivity

I have taken less than a week to deactivate the star function of iOS 26. The filter called is to kill flies to guns

by

I’ve been from the night of the WWDC 25held on June 9 using the beta of iOS 26. This is the largest redesign of the Apple operating system in years, and the first real approach to how the company will implement its local artificial intelligence in native applications. One of the most commented functions was that of Anti spam protection. A system that comes to rival some already existing, like Google’sbut in a more aggressive and less intelligent way. So much so that I had to deactivate it just a week later. How the Apple filter works. Within the Apple Telephone App, from iOS 26, there are new ways to filter unknown numbers. Filter incoming calls: the incoming calls of unknown numbers are filtered. Whoever makes the call has to identify and, once we have that information, we can choose to pick up or not. Send all calls from unknown numbers to the voice mailbox. Automatically silence all calls of unknown numbers. The second and third option are quite aggressive (in addition to the second one was already present in previous versions of iOS). The great novelty is in How Apple Applies Ia Upon receiving calls, since it is Siri who attends the person, not us. The first day, the first notice. I receive many calls a week, more than I would like. Mainly, of messaging companies that contact me to know if I am at home. I analyze smartphones in Xataka and the different parcel companies call practically daily. From numbers that I don’t have saved, of course. It soon realized that they were calling me from a parcel company, and the delivery man was not answering the questions of Siri. How do I know? For how this new feature works. Thanks, don’t hang up. When someone with an unknown number calls us, Siri asks him to identify and explain the reason for the call. It is not necessary to be too explicit: it is enough to say “I am Ricardo, it is important.” But here there are two issues. The first is that the iPhone notifies discreetly when the filter is active, with a minimum vibration that we will not notice. The second is that, if the person does not identify, the phone does not start sounding until 20 seconds. A filter that does not filter so much. Yeah The call is urgentit is more than likely to hang. It is just what happened to me this week, both with the deliveries and with a call that I received from my health center. After a robot (Siri) ask you what you want, if you are not willing (or you cannot) answer at that time the question, it is difficult to be 20 seconds waiting for the phone to begin to sound to the other person. I saw perfectly how the delivery man hung before he started sounding and, after asking him (I had to call him later), he told me that he did not know if it was some type of fraud. Normalize that Siri takes it. It will not be easy to normalize that Siri takes the phone. It would be necessary for practically all Apple users to activate this function, and that users understand that every time you call an iPhone, you have to go through Siri. The most important factor of the urgent call is also lost: immediacy. A accident cases in which they call you with unknown numbers, medical consultations … No one likes calls of unknown numbers, but filtering them all, regardless of whether they have advertising purposes or not, is to kill flies to cannon. Google makes it much better. Google Filter suspicious calls of fraud or spam has been filtering years indicating precisely that the calls are spam. If we call us a number for commercial or fraudulent purposes, Google uses its AI model to analyze in the cloud where that number comes from. In the event that we are not clear who calls us, we have nothing but to filter so that the Google assistant does exactly the same thing that Apple does: ask the interlocutor who he is and the reason for his call. It is a practically infallible filter for commercial and fraudulent calls but in which at all times we are finding out whether or not they call us. Image | Xataka and Xataka Android In Xataka | What is the Robinson list and how to sign up for it to avoid unwanted advertising

Log In

Forgot password?

Forgot password?

Enter your account data and we will send you a link to reset your password.

Your password reset link appears to be invalid or expired.

Log in

Privacy Policy

Add to Collection

No Collections

Here you'll find all collections you've created before.